the odyssey(奥德赛)-第47章

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　　Telemachus　purposely　made　Ulysses　sit　in　the　part　of　the　cloister
that　was　paved　with　stone；　he　gave　him　a　shabby…looking　seat　at　a
little　table　to　himself；　and　had　his　portion　of　the　inward　meats
brought　to　him；　with　his　wine　in　a　gold　cup。　〃Sit　there；〃　said　he；
〃and　drink　your　wine　among　the　great　people。　I　will　put　a　stop　to
the　gibes　and　blows　of　the　suitors；　for　this　is　no　public　house；　but
belongs　to　Ulysses；　and　has　passed　from　him　to　me。　Therefore；　suitors；
keep　your　hands　and　your　tongues　to　yourselves；　or　there　will　be
mischief。〃
　　The　suitors　bit　their　lips；　and　marvelled　at　the　boldness　of　his
speech；　then　Antinous　said；　〃We　do　not　like　such　language　but　we
will　put　up　with　it；　for　Telemachus　is　threatening　us　in　good　earnest。
If　Jove　had　let　us　we　should　have　put　a　stop　to　his　brave　talk　ere
now。〃
　　Thus　spoke　Antinous；　but　Telemachus　heeded　him　not。　Meanwhile　the
heralds　were　bringing　the　holy　hecatomb　through　the　city；　and　the
Achaeans　gathered　under　the　shady　grove　of　Apollo。
　　Then　they　roasted　the　outer　meat；　drew　it　off　the　spits；　gave
every　man　his　portion；　and　feasted　to　their　hearts'　content；　those　who
waited　at　table　gave　Ulysses　exactly　the　same　portion　as　the　others
had；　for　Telemachus　had　told　them　to　do　so。
　　But　Minerva　would　not　let　the　suitors　for　one　moment　drop　their
insolence；　for　she　wanted　Ulysses　to　become　still　more　bitter
against　them。　Now　there　happened　to　be　among　them　a　ribald　fellow；
whose　name　was　Ctesippus；　and　who　came　from　Same。　This　man；
confident　in　his　great　wealth；　was　paying　court　to　the　wife　of
Ulysses；　and　said　to　the　suitors；　〃Hear　what　I　have　to　say。　The
stranger　has　already　had　as　large　a　portion　as　any　one　else；　this　is
well；　for　it　is　not　right　nor　reasonable　to　ill…treat　any　guest　of
Telemachus　who　comes　here。　I　will；　however；　make　him　a　present　on　my
own　account；　that　he　may　have　something　to　give　to　the　bath…woman；
or　to　some　other　of　Ulysses'　servants。〃
　　As　he　spoke　he　picked　up　a　heifer's　foot　from　the　meat…basket　in
which　it　lay；　and　threw　it　at　Ulysses；　but　Ulysses　turned　his　head　a
little　aside；　and　avoided　it；　smiling　grimly　Sardinian　fashion　as　he
did　so；　and　it　hit　the　wall；　not　him。　On　this　Telemachus　spoke
fiercely　to　Ctesippus；　〃It　is　a　good　thing　for　you；〃　said　he；　〃that
the　stranger　turned　his　head　so　that　you　missed　him。　If　you　had　hit
him　I　should　have　run　you　through　with　my　spear；　and　your　father　would
have　had　to　see　about　getting　you　buried　rather　than　married　in　this
house。　So　let　me　have　no　more　unseemly　behaviour　from　any　of　you；
for　I　am　grown　up　now　to　the　knowledge　of　good　and　evil　and　understand
what　is　going　on；　instead　of　being　the　child　that　I　have　been
heretofore。　I　have　long　seen　you　killing　my　sheep　and　making　free　with
my　corn　and　wine：　I　have　put　up　with　this；　for　one　man　is　no　match　for
many；　but　do　me　no　further　violence。　Still；　if　you　wish　to　kill　me；
kill　me；　I　would　far　rather　die　than　see　such　disgraceful　scenes　day
after　day…　guests　insulted；　and　men　dragging　the　women　servants
about　the　house　in　an　unseemly　way。〃
　　They　all　held　their　peace　till　at　last　Agelaus　son　of　Damastor　said；
〃No　one　should　take　offence　at　what　has　just　been　said；　nor　gainsay
it；　for　it　is　quite　reasonable。　Leave　off；　therefore；　ill…treating　the
stranger；　or　any　one　else　of　the　servants　who　are　about　the　house；　I
would　say；　however；　a　friendly　word　to　Telemachus　and　his　mother；
which　I　trust　may　commend　itself　to　both。　'As　long；'　I　would　say；
'as　you　had　ground　for　hoping　that　Ulysses　would　one　day　come　home；　no
one　could　complain　of　your　waiting　and　suffering　the　suitors　to　be
in　your　house。　It　would　have　been　better　that　he　should　have　returned；
but　it　is　now　sufficiently　clear　that　he　will　never　do　so；　therefore
talk　all　this　quietly　over　with　your　mother；　and　tell　her　to　marry　the
best　man；　and　the　one　who　makes　her　the　most　advantageous　offer。
Thus　you　will　yourself　be　able　to　manage　your　own　inheritance；　and
to　eat　and　drink　in　peace；　while　your　mother　will　look　after　some
other　man's　house；　not　yours。〃'
　　To　this　Telemachus　answered；　〃By　Jove；　Agelaus；　and　by　the　sorrows
of　my　unhappy　father；　who　has　either　perished　far　from　Ithaca；　or　is
wandering　in　some　distant　land；　I　throw　no　obstacles　in　the　way　of
my　mother's　marriage；　on　the　contrary　I　urge　her　to　choose
whomsoever　she　will；　and　I　will　give　her　numberless　gifts　into　the
bargain；　but　I　dare　not　insist　point　blank　that　she　shall　leave　the
house　against　her　own　wishes。　Heaven　forbid　that　I　should　do　this。〃
　　Minerva　now　made　the　suitors　fall　to　laughing　immoderately；　and
set　their　wits　wandering；　but　they　were　laughing　with　a　forced
laughter。　Their　meat　became　smeared　with　blood；　their　eyes　filled　with
tears；　and　their　hearts　were　heavy　with　forebodings。　Theoclymenus
saw　this　and　said；　〃Unhappy　men；　what　is　it　that　ails　you？　There　is
a　shroud　of　darkness　drawn　over　you　from　head　to　foot；　your　cheeks　are
wet　with　tears；　the　air　is　alive　with　wailing　voices；　the　walls　and
roof…beams　drip　blood；　the　gate　of　the　cloisters　and　the　court
beyond　them　are　full　of　ghosts　trooping　down　into　the　night　of　hell；
the　sun　is　blotted　out　of　heaven；　and　a　blighting　gloom　is　over　all
the　land。〃
　　Thus　did　he　speak；　and　they　all　of　them　laughed　heartily。　Eurymachus
then　said；　〃This　stranger　who　has　lately　come　here　has　lost　his
senses。　Servants；　turn　him　out　into　the　streets；　since　he　finds　it
so　dark　here。〃
　　But　Theoclymenus　said；　〃Eurymachus；　you　need　not　send　any　one　with
me。　I　have　eyes；　ears；　and　a　pair　of　feet　of　my　own；　to　say　nothing　of
an　understanding　mind。　I　will　take　these　out　of　the　house　with　me；　for
I　see　mischief　overhanging　you；　from　which　not　one　of　you　men　who
are　insulting　people　and　plotting　ill　deeds　in　the　house　of　Ulysses
will　be　able　to　escape。〃
　　He　left　the　house　as　he　spoke；　and　went　back　to　Piraeus　who　gave　him
welcome；　but　the　suitors　kept　looking　at　one　another　and　provoking
Telemachus　fly　laughing　at　the　strangers。　One　insolent　fellow　said
to　him；　〃Telemachus；　you　are　not　happy　in　your　guests；　first　you
have　this　importunate　tramp；　who　comes　begging　bread　and　wine　and
has　no　skill　for　work　or　for　hard　fighting；　but　is　perfectly
useless；　and　now　here　is　another　fellow　who　is　setting　himself　up　as　a
prophet。　Let　me　persuade　you；　for　it　will　be　much　better；　to　put
them　on　board　ship　and　send　them　off　to　the　Sicels　to　sell　for　what
they　will　bring。〃
　　Telemachus　gave　him　no　heed；　but　sat　silently　watching　his　father；
expecting　every　moment　that　he　would　begin　his　attack　upon　the
suitors。
　　Meanwhile　the　daughter　of　Icarius；　wise　Penelope；　had　had　had　a　rich
seat　placed　for　her　facing　the　court　and　cloisters；　so　that　she
could　hear　what　every　one　was　saying。　The　dinner　indeed　had　been
prepared　amid　merriment；　it　had　been　both　good　and　abundant；　for
they　had　sacrificed　many　victims；　but　the　supper　was　yet　to　come；
and　nothing　can　be　conceived　more　gruesome　than　the　meal　which　a
goddess　and　a　brave　man　were　soon　to　lay　before　them…　for　they　had
brought　their　doom　upon　themselves。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　BOOK　XXI。
　　MINERVA　now　put　it　in　Penelope's　mind　to　make　the　suitors　try
their　skill　with　the　bow　and　with　the　iron　axes；　in　contest　among
themselves；　as　a　means　of　bringing　about　their　destruction。　She　went
upstairs　and　got　the　store　room　key；　which　was　made　of　bronze　and
had　a　handle　of　ivory；　she　then　went　with　her　maidens　into　the　store
room　at　the　end　of　the　house；　where　her　husband's　treasures　of　gold；
bronze；　and　wrought　iron　were　kept；　and　where　was　also　his　bow；　and
the　quiver　full　of　deadly　arrows　that　had　been　given　him　by　a　friend
whom　he　had　met　in　Lacedaemon…　Iphitus　the　son　of　Eurytus。　The　two
fell　in　with　one　another　in　Messene　at　the　house　of　Ortilochus；
where　Ulysses　was　staying　in　order　to　recover　a　debt　that　was　owing
from　the　whole　people；　for　the　Messenians　had　carried　off　three
hundred　sheep　from　Ithaca；　and　had　sailed　away　with　them　and　with
their　shepherds。　In　quest　of　these　Ulysses　took　a　long　journey　while
still　quite　young；　for　his　father　and　the　other　chieftains　sent　him　on
a　mission　to　recover　them。　Iphitus　had　gone　there　also　to　try　and
get　back　twelve　brood　mares　that　he　had　lost；　and　the　mule　foals
that　were　running　with　them。　These　mares　were　the　death　of　him　in
the　end；　for　when　he　went　to　the　house　of　Jove's　son；　mighty　Hercules；
who　performed　such　prodigies　of　valour；　Hercules　to　his　shame　killed
him；　though　he　was　his　guest；　for　he　feared　not　heaven's　vengeance；
nor　yet　respected　his　own　table　which　he　had　set　before　Iphitus；　but
killed　him　in　spite　of　everything；　and　kept　the　mares　himself。　It
was　when　claiming　these　that　Iphitus　met　Ulysses；　and　gave　him　the　bow
which　mighty　Eurytus　had　been　used　to　carry；　and　which　on　his　death
had　been　left　by　him　to　his　son。　Ulysses　gave　him　in　return　a　sword
and　a　spear；　and　this　was　the　beginning　of　a　fast　friendship；　although
they　never　visited　at　one　another's　houses；　for　Jove's　son　Hercules
killed　Iphitus　ere　they　could　do　so。　This　bow；　then；　given　him　by
Iphitus；　had　not　been　taken　with　him　by　Ulysses　when　he　sailed　for
Troy；　he　had　used　it　so　long　as　he　had　been　at　home；　but　had　left　it
behind　as　having　been　a　keepsake　from　a　valued　friend。
　　Penelope　presently　reached　the　oak　threshold　of　the　store　room；
the　carpenter　had　planed　this　duly；　and　had　drawn　a　line　on　it　so　as
to　get　it　quite　straight；　he　had　then　set　the　door　posts　into　it　and
hung　the　doors。　She　loosed　the　strap　from　the　handle　of　the　door；
put　in　the　key；　and　drove　it　straight　home　to　shoot　back　the　bolts
that　held　the　doors；　these　flew　open　with　a　noise　like　a　bull
bellowing　in　a　meadow；　and　Penelope　stepped　upon　the　raised
platform；　where　the　chests　stood　in　which　the　fair　linen　and　clothes
were　laid　by　along　with　fragrant　herbs：　reaching　thence；　she　took　down
the　bow　with　its　bow　case　from　the　peg　on　which　it　hung。　She　sat
down　with　it　on　her　knees；　weeping　bitterly　as　she　took　the　bow　out　of
its　case；　and　when　her　tears　had　relieved　her；　she　went　to　the
cloister　where　the　suitors　were；　carrying　the　bow　and　the　quiver；　with
the　many　deadly　arrows　that　were　inside　it。　Along　with　her　came　her
maidens；　bearing　a　chest　that　contained　much　iron　and　bronze　which　her
husband　had　won　as　prizes。　When　she　reached　the　suitors；　she　stood
by　one　of　the　bearing…posts　supporting　the　roof　of　the　cloister；
holding　a　veil　before　her　face；　and　with　a　maid　on　either　side　of　her。
Then　she　said：
　　〃Listen　to　me　you　suitors；　who　persist　in　abusing　the　hospitality　of
this　house　because　its　owner　has　been　long　absent；　and　without　other
pretext　than　that　you　want　to　marry　me；　this；　then；　being　the　prize
that　you　are　contending　for；　I　will　bring　out　the　mighty　bow　of
Ulysses；　and　whomsoever　of　you　shall　string　it　most　easily　and　send
his　arrow　through　each　one　of　twelve　axes；　him　will　I　follow　and
quit　this　house　of　my　lawful　husband；　so　goodly；　and　so　abounding　in
wealth。　But　even　so　I　doubt　not　that　I　shall　remember　it　in　my
dreams。〃
　　As　she　spoke；　she　told　Eumaeus　to　set　the　bow　and　the　pieces　of　iron
before　the　suitors；　and　Eumaeus　wept　as　he　took　them　to　do　as　she
had　bidden　him。　Hard　by；　the　sto